Wheel cleaning and dust allaying device



D. c. MULVlHlLL, 7 2,129,019

WHEEL CLEANING AND DUST ALLAYING DEVICE Sept. 6, 1938.

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

Filed Aug. 2. 1934 Sept. 6, 1938. D. c. MULVlHlLL WHEEL CLEANING {XNDDUST ALLAYING DEVICE Filed Aug. 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Patented Sept.6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFMIE WHEEL CLEANING AND DUST ALLAYINGDEVICE Application August 2, 1934, Serial No. 738,037

3 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for removing extraneous matter fromthe surfaces of castings and the like.

One of the principal objects of the invention is 5- the provision of anew and improved device for brushing castings, and simultaneouslypreventing the dissemination of dust, dirt, sand or other foreign matterin the air during the cleaning operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedcleaning device having novel means for preventing overheating of thebrush tips while the device is in use.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of new andimproved means for settling dust and other fine particles of matterduring the operation of mechanically removing the same from an object.

A further object of the invention is the provision of new and improvedmeans for discharging a spray of water onto an object during the time itis being operated upon for the purpose of assisting the operation andfor preventing the detached particles from becoming difiused in the 25surrounding atmosphere.

A stilliurther object of the invention is the provision of new andimproved mechanism for removing sand and other foreign matter fromcastings by means of brushes and simultaneously 3.9 maintaining saidbrushes in a moist condition together'with novel means forsimultaneously controlling the operation of the brushes and the supplyof moisture thereto.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedmechanism for cleaning castings and preventing the dispersion of dust inthe atmosphere which is simple in construction, efiicient in operation,composed of the minimum number of moving parts, and that is relativelyinexpensive to manufacture and install. 7

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appearfrom the following description, taken in connection with the accom- 45panying drawings, in which: j

Fig. 1 is -a side elevation of a wheel cleaning apparatus showing thespray device in position thereon;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1

with parts broken away; and

'Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character ill designates awheel cleaning device similar to that shown in Patent No. 1,625,137

granted to me on April 19, 1927, and comprises a base H on which ismounted the bottom wall I 9 and the framework of the apparatus. Thisframework comprises the uprights l2 and I3 arranged in pairs at each endof the device. These 5 uprights are connected together by longitudinalbars M which form a wheel guide, as will presently appear, and with thetransverse bars I5. Attached to the framework are the side walls l6 andEl and the top wall [8 forming what, for 10 convenience of description,will be termed the dust chamber within which the sand and other foreignmatter are removed from the castings. The floor IQ of this chamber issupported by the base II. The front and rear walls of the device 15 aresimilar and only one need be described.

The rear wall 2| is shown in Fig. 2 and comprises the rigid sections 22and 23 which have their adjacent edges inclined downwardly and outwardlyto form a substantially triangular opening 26 which is adapted to beclosed by the door sections 24 and 25 which are hinged to the sections22 and 23. The doors being hinged to the inclined edges 26 and 21 of thewall sections 22 and 23, will be automatically closed by gravity 2 whenthe same are opened by the movement of the wheel when it moves along thetrack 28.

The track 28 is arranged on an incline and extends longitudinallythrough the dust chamber whereby the wheels 29 when placed on the track30 will roll by gravity along the same. The doors in the front wall inthe dust chamber open inwardly, and those at the rear open outwardly,whereby they will be opened by the wheel as it rolls along the track andwill be automatically closed by gravity after the wheel passestherethrough.

Suitable means are provided for holding the wheel in upright position asit rolls along the track 28. A guide 3| is employed for this purpose.This guide is formed by the bars M which engage both sides of the flange32 of the wheel 29. The wheel is temporarily held on the track inposition to enter the dust chamber by a latch-33 which is adapted to beoperated by a lever 34 attached to the latch.

Suitable means are provided for holding the wheel in position within thedust chamber during the brushing operation. As shown, a pair of pivotedlatch members 35 and 36 are employed for this purpose. The latch member35 is free to pivot upwardly but is limited in its downward movement.The latch 36 is connected to a cranking shaft 31 having an operatinghandle 38 for elevating the latch for releasing the wheel. The latches35 and 36 engage the tread of the wheel when the wheel is in theposition shown in Fig. 1. The mechanism thus far described is similar tothat disclosed in the prior patent referred to above, and need not befurther described.

The means for rotating the brushes and for advancing and retracting thesame are different from the patented structure, and will now be described. V

The brushes, of which there are two sets for each wheelone set for eachside of the wheelcomprise the supports 39 and 4! (see Fig. 3) to whichthe wires or bristle elements andbristle supports 42 and 43 are rigidlyattached. The

brush supports 39 and 4: are rigidly secured to shafts 44 and 45 whichare supported in journal bearings 46, 47 carried by the side walls ofthe chamber.

of the dust chamber. The shafts are driven through a worm gear drive 5|and 52. The gears 53 and 54 are slidably keyed to the shafts 44 and 45,respectively. Suitable means are provided at each side of the wheel foradvancing and retracting the brushes, and since they are similar, onlyone will be described.

This mechanism comprises a motor 55 (see Fig. 3) having a cylinderrigidly attached to the side wall of the dust chamber and a piston 58operating within the cylinder and having a piston rod pivotallyconnected as at 57 to a link 58. The link 58 is connected to a shaft 45by having a fork 30 on its lower end provided with pins engaging agrooved wheel 40 fixed on the shaft 45. This connection permits the link58 to move the shaft 45 longitudinally without interfering with itsrotation.

The upper end of the link 58ispivotally connected to a bar 59 which inturn is pivotally connected to the side of the dust chamber. The motorsare adapted to be operated by compressed air which is supplied throughthe trunk line BI and controlled by valve 62. The valve 62 has a crankarm 63 which is connected to a hand lever 64.

The brushes are shown in contact with the wheel 29 to be cleaned, havingbeen advanced to such positions bythe admission of air to the outer endsof the cylinders 56, 59, through the pipes 80, 90. To withdrawthebrushes from the wheel, the valve 62 is shifted to admit air to theinner ends of the cylinders 50, 50, through the pipes 85,10. Theelectric motors 48 and 49 are adapted to be controlled by a conventionalswitch 65 which is desirably located adjacent the hand lever 4.

' The device thus far described is intended to remove the sand and otherforeign matter from car wheels after the casting operation. In removingthis sand and foreign matter, an enormous amount of dust is produced,and, since a great amount thereof is finely ground silica, it isextremely detrimental to the health of the operators. Furthermore, thefriction of the brushes against the wheelcauses the wires of the brushesto become highly heated unless means are provided for cooling the same.

Suitable means are provided for supplying a spray of water to thebrushes and wheel during the cleaning operation. The water will not onlysettle the dust and cool the brushes, but will also assist in looseningthe sand and dirt and other foreign matter on the wheel while it isbeing cleaned, thereby assisting in the cleaning operation.

In the form of the device selected to illustrate one embodiment of theinvention, means are pro- The shafts are rotated by electric motors 48and 49, one being located at each side;

vided for supplying a spray to both sides of the wheel. As shown a pairof nozzles 66 and 61 are employed for this purpose. These nozzles extenddownwardly and are bent inwardly to deliver the spray onto the brush andwheel at opposite sides of the wheel, the water being supplied to thenozzles 66 and 67 by the pipe 68 and the branches 69 and H. The supplyofwater is controlled by a valve 12 which is operated by an arm 13 whichin turn is pivotally connected to the hand lever -64. The parts are soconstructed that when the lever 64 is operated to cause the brushes toadvance toward the wheel, the water will be turned on, and when movedaway from the wheel, the water will be turned off.

In theoperation of the device, the wheel to be cleaned'is placed on thetrack 28, the lever 64 is moved to inoperative position and the latches34 and 33 are then released which permits the two wheels (see Fig. l) tomove by gravity down the track 28. The forward one moves out of thechamber 20, and the following wheel will roll into position within thedust chamber where it is stopped by the latch 36 and held by said latch,and the latch 35.

The lever 64 may then be moved to operative position which will causethe mechanism to advance the brushes into contact with the sides of thewheel andautomatically turn the water on for spraying the brushes andthe wheel. The switch 65 is operated to stop and start the motors 48 and49 when it is desired to stop or to rotate the brushes.

While I have shown sprays as being used in connection with cleaning castcar wheels, it is understood that the same may be used in connectionwith any mechanism adapted to remove finely divided particles ofmaterial from an article for preventing said particles, after beingremoved, from escaping into the air.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings that the construction and operation. of my devicewill be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that minor changes insize, shape, proportion and details of construction may be madewithoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the appended claims,

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for removing material in the form of finely dividedparticles from an article, the combination of a chamber, means forretaining an article within said chamber, means engaging'said articlefor removing finely divided particles therefrom, mechanism for operatingsaid removing means, means independent of said mechanism for spraying aliquid onto said particles for settling the same, and means forautomatically controlling the operation of said spraying means when saidremoving means is operated.

2. In an apparatus for removing sand from a cast wheel comprising achamber, an inclined track extending through said chamber, doors at eachend of said chamber through which said track extends, the hinged edgesof said doors being inclined downwardly and outwardly, said doors allopening in the direction of the downward inclination of the track,whereby the doors will be opened bya wheel moving down the track andwill automatically close as it passes beyond them.

3. In a device of the class described, means for automaticallypositioning and holding an article while the sameis being operateduupon,means for operating on said article, said latter means mosphere duringsaid operation, a control indenormally causing siliceous material to bepropendent of the operation of said first-named conjected into the airfrom said article while opertrol for said last-named means, and meansfor ating on the same, a control for said latter means, simultaneouslyoperating said controls.

means for spraying water onto said material for preventing its difiusionin the surrounding at- D. C. MULVIHILL.

